OMG I ACTUALLY UPDATED! OAO *blinks* *hides behind bookshelf to avoid flying deadly projectiles.

Erm... yeah, I'm sorry for not updating for... a reeealy long while. I have no excuse =_=;; But here, finally, is the next chapter! XDD Dunno when the next one will be up though, but hopefully it won't be long :)

I still hope you guys enjoy, I know this isn't so well done and all *guiltstab* but I'm finally getting into a plot! XDD Hope you guys review! \OaOb

DISCLAIMER: KHR IS AMANO AKIRA'S! XD

THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS AND FAVS AND ALERTS! *dogeza* And I am so very sorry for slacking off TT~TT XDD

The flutter of wings could be heard in the silence of the early morning as a small figure walked along the deserted footpath, gaze lifting upward to the large, nearly invisible crow slowing to a halt above him, dropping an official looking envelope, an intricate but easily recognizable coat of arms engraved into the red wax seal.

He smiled as he quickly scanned the contents, a glint appearing in his beetle black eyes. "So the time has finally come" he smirked, looking back to the simple two story house behind him.

"You better be prepared Dame-Tsuna" Italia's strongest Hitman whispered, tucking the letter inside his suit pocket. 'Especially now that you have a personal goal to accomplish'

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~Vongola Famiglia~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"…."

"H-Hey Reborn….?" asked a meek voice.

The baby hitman paused in his work of polishing his gun, turning to the future boss of Vongola. "What is it Dame-Tsuna? Did you get a 0 on your test again?"

"WHA—NO!" the brunette immediately denied.

"Oh?" Reborn smirked. "Then what did you get?"

"W-well I…. T-THAT's not important!" Tsuna suddenly cut off, changing the subject. "I-I was just… I wanted to know if…"

Reborn had a suspicion of what the brunette might ask, but he wanted the teen to confirm it himself. "Spit it out Dame-Tsuna, stop stuttering" he ordered, cocking his gun.

"H-HIIIIE! Hai! HAI! I… Uhm, well… I was just wondering if… there's a way to free someone from Vindice…" the supposed future boss of the Vongola trailed off.

The sun arcobaleno's eyes narrowed. 'So that really is it'. "Why?" he asked, interest alight in his eyes.

"Eh? W-Why… well I…"

"This has something to do with Rokudo Mukuro right?" the baby hitman specified. The Mist guardian has been missing for a while it seems, in terms of soul. Of course, he could just be in the Vindice prison sleeping away, but Reborn had a feeling that his charge was involved somehow… "Why are you suddenly so concerned for him? Have you forgotten what he did to your friends—"

"B-But he's helped us a lot too! L-like in the Ring Battle, and even in the future!"

"But that never really changed his motives did it?"

Tsuna grew awkwardly silent, not quite meeting the baby's eyes. 'What is he hiding…?' Reborn's eyes narrowed. But at the sight of the determined look on his charge's face, he thought that this might be an opportunity.

Reborn smirked. "If you're that serious, then maybe there's a way" he stated, a devious light in his beady eyes.

"R-really?" Tsuna perked up.

"Yes" the Arcobaleno confirmed, inspecting his behavior. "If a particularly powerful boss of a particular influential family were to make a deal with the Prison Guards, then there's a chance they would agree to set him free"

… Tsuna stayed silent. Catching on to what Reborn was implying.

This didn't escape the baby hitman as well, and his smirk turned into a grin. "And perfect timing too. I just received a notice from the ninth confirming the Inheritance Ceremony" he stated, bringing out the envelope he had received earlier that day.

The brunette boy gulped. "I-Inheri…tance ceremony?"

"Yes. It's the ceremony where you officially inherit the title of 'The Tenth Boss of the Vongola Famiglia' from the Ninth—"

"AAAAAAAHHH!" Tsuna suddenly screamed. "I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT! I thought I told you I am not going to become a Mafia Boss!" he said, covering his ears and flailing.

"But you already are considered a mafia boss, denying it is worthless now. You do remember what happened just a little while ago right?" Reborn explained, suddenly very serious.

Tsuna knew what he was talking about. The rouge Mafia family that attacked them, leading to his comatose… it happened all because of the title of 'Tenth Gen Vongola Famigly' that's already attached to them, to him. Even if the ceremony never happens, even if he kept denying, they'll still be targeted.

"The safest way to go about it is for you to accept your position, make alliances, and strengthen the family so that you can protect yourself and your comrades" Reborn explained, catching on to Tsuna's understanding. He was glad to see that after a couple of years, his charge was able to mature some.

Tsuna could see the sense and accuracy of his home tutor's words, and he frowned.

"Besides, I thought you wanted to free Mukuro from the Vindice. It's not something a normal person, even a normal Mafioso can do"

"But… is there really no other way?" Tsuna asked his home tutor exasperatedly.

Beetle black eyes sparkled as Reborn suddenly conjured an M-16 rifle, the previous seriousness replaced with mischief, he smiled. "Well, you could always go for the life threatening 0.00000000000001% chance of survival 'Break him out of Prison' Rescue method"

"HIIIIE!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~Vongola Famiglia~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mou that Reborn…" the 16 year old Mafia-Boss-to-be mumbled as he rushed to school that morning. 'But… it's true though' he slowed to a walk a couple of blocks away.

'Even if I refuse, I've already been labeled the tenth Vongola Boss. Everybody is already in constant danger, and this may be the only way I can set Mukuro free…' he sighed.

"Oya oya, that's a very deep look you have there Decimo…"

"HII!" Tsuna squeaked, turning around to see his ghostly companion. "Mukuro!"

"Kufufu… curious" the mist guardian stated, drifting closer to the brunette.

Tsuna gulped a bit, his face heating a little as he backed away awkwardly. "I-It's nothing. D-Don't worry about it" 'That's right… Mukuro… hates the Mafia…' the brunette thought dejectedly. 'Not that I like it either but...' he sighed again, this time out of exasperation.

And this reaction only succeeded in making the illusionist all the more suspicious. Before he could voice it out however, the brunette's attention was already directed elsewhere.

"I've never seen that uniform before..." the younger teen suddenly stated, staring at a group of people heading the same way he is.

Mukuro followed his gaze. "Ah, they must be the transfer students"

"Eh? Transfer students?" Tsuna snapped his head back to Mukuro. The latter raised a brow.

"Yes. It seems seven people will be transferring to your school today. From Shimon Middle School I think it was. Weren't you paying attention to your teacher the other day?" The blunette inquired.

"E-Ehaa…" Nope, Tsuna definitely wasn't paying attention to the teacher the other day.

"How predictable" he chuckled. "But anyways, I kinda like their uniform. Not as good as Kokuyo's of course, but definitely fashionable" he commented. Tsuna sweatdropped.

And then in a bout of clumsiness and inattention, he found himself sprawled on the ground having just collided with something… or rather, someone.

"You really should pay more attention to your surroundings vongola" the Mist Guardian commented gruffly, slightly ruffled.

"A-Ah! I am so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going!" Tsuna ignored the bluenette, opting to gather up the stuff scattered around him.

"It's alright" a quiet voice stated as a pair of hands entered his vision, picking up the stuff he'd missed.

Tsuna turned to the newcomer. "Ah! You're one of the transfer students right?" he asked, inspecting the black jacket. "Sorry for bumping into you like that" he apologized again, scratching the back of his head before outstretching his hands, holding a pile of books. "These are yours right?"

The other boy nodded, muttering a small thank you, but as soon as he reached out, something happened that made Tsuna flinch unintentionally.

It was a weird sort of feeling, but for a moment there, Tsuna thought he caught the glow of a dying will flame, and the Vongola ring around his neck somehow resonated. 'Just my… imagination… right?' He thought, as it was over as soon as it started.

He was snapped back to reality, however, when the boy suddenly snatched the stuff out of his hands, breaking into a clumsy sprint as soon as he got them.

"Ah, wait!" Tsuna called after him, confused. "…What was that about?" he mumbled, staring at his empty hand.

"Hmm" Mukuro added in, a thoughtful look on his semi-transparent face. "Interesting"